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Who are you caring for?
Which best describes their mobility?
How well are they maintaining their hygiene?
How are they managing their medications?
Does their living environment pose any safety concerns?
Fall risks, spoiled food, or other threats to wellbeing
Are they experiencing any memory loss?
Which best describes your loved one's social life?
Acknowledgment of Disclosures and Authorization
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington. Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services. APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid. We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour. APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment. You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints. Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights. APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.I agree that: A.I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information"). B.APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink. C.APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site. D.If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records. E.This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year. F.You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
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Mostly Independent
Your loved one may not require home care or assisted living services at this time. However, continue to monitor their condition for changes and consider occasional in-home care services for help as needed.
Remember, this assessment is not a substitute for professional advice.
Share a few details and we will match you to trusted home care in your area:
You asked "Does a Fentanyl patch indicate that the end is near?"
NO, a Fentanyl patch does NOT indicate that the end is near, it often means that the person is probably having difficulty swallowing the Morphine or is not receiving all of the Morphine into their blood stream or that the Morphine is not lasting long enough between doses and some other pain medication is needed instead or in conjunction with the Morphine. Some doctors will use the Fentanyl patch to help keep a somewhat steadier amount of pain medication in the person's blood stream.
Fentanyl patches work better on people with some fat than on people who are thin and have very little fat.
I have a friend in her 60s who is highly allergic (goes into Anaphylactic Shock and has difficulty breathing) to NSAIDS such as Aspirin, Advil, Motrin, Volteran, etc. and cannot take any of these medications for her arthritis and fibromyalgia. Because there are so few drugs that she can take, she is using a Fentanyl patch with Hydrocodone for "breakthrough" pain. (And, Yes, the doctor has tried Lyrica-pregabalin and other drugs, but my friend experienced side effects from many of these drugs.)
Premature babies are given tiny doses of Fentanyl for pain while they are in the NICU-Neonatal ICU. Doctors use Fentanyl during procedures and Dentists sometimes give Fentanyl intravenously while removing teeth and inserting dental implants.
ITRR, you are correct that not everything can be filtered out. I only stated what the pharmaceutical company recommended should be done with the used Fentanyl patches. My friend puts her used patches in the garbage bags of used cat litter and disposes the bags in the garbage can.
Sydney, you need to talk to your Hospice nurse and your doctor for more information so that you know why the Fentanyl is being ordered and how to apply and take the patches off properly and safely.
Wear gloves when you change the patch so that you do not get any of the medication on you if you are putting the patch on someone else. Wash your hands thoroughly after applying the patch and throw the used patch into the TOILET and flush it away. DO NOT put the patch in the garbage can—there will always be medication in the patch and some addicts know how to get the remaining medication out of the patch after it is used. Fentanyl can be deadly to children and pets if they chew on the patch.
The doctor has to write a NEW order each time the medication has to be refilled. It cannot be automatically refilled—check with Hospice regarding how to refill the prescription.
The medication in the patch lasts for 72 hours so the patch needs to be changed every 72 hours. The level of pain relief will be lower at the beginning and ending of the 72 hours and higher at the 30-40 hour period. ⇗ ⇔⇔⇘ The person wearing the patch (?your Mom?) might need Morphine drops occasionally when the fentanyl is at its lowest concentration in the blood.
If a patch falls off or is pulled off, DO NOT put that patch back on. Put a NEW patch on and notify the doctor and Hospice that you had to put a new patch on.
You can use Tegaderm over the patch to keep it in place if the patch has a tendency to fall off. (But do not put the Tegaderm in the toilet as it does not dissolve.) You need to put the patch on a fatty part of the body.
This is some basic information. Talk to the Hospice for more detailed information and have them demonstrate how to use the Fentanyl patch. The medication is very, very strong in very, very small doses so be extremely careful that you store the patches where no one can get them but you and be extremely careful when you put the patch on and take the patch off.
Whomever gives you these patches will be VERY CLEAR with you what areas not to touch and how to apply them. These will be explained to you very clearly by hospice. Or SHOULD be. If Hospice doesn't speak with you about the fentanyl patches you should not use them until they do. Tell them this is the first time you are using them and that you are uncomfortable not receiving information about them. Basically the important thing you need to know is that you do not touch the surface that goes against the patient's skin. The medication in on this patch and it will give excellent pain relief. It is important that you understand all medications you are given or are being given, both morphine and fentanyl as well as any other. Tell Hospice to give you a briefing on these patches.
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
NO, a Fentanyl patch does NOT indicate that the end is near, it often means that the person is probably having difficulty swallowing the Morphine or is not receiving all of the Morphine into their blood stream or that the Morphine is not lasting long enough between doses and some other pain medication is needed instead or in conjunction with the Morphine. Some doctors will use the Fentanyl patch to help keep a somewhat steadier amount of pain medication in the person's blood stream.
Fentanyl patches work better on people with some fat than on people who are thin and have very little fat.
I have a friend in her 60s who is highly allergic (goes into Anaphylactic Shock and has difficulty breathing) to NSAIDS such as Aspirin, Advil, Motrin, Volteran, etc. and cannot take any of these medications for her arthritis and fibromyalgia. Because there are so few drugs that she can take, she is using a Fentanyl patch with Hydrocodone for "breakthrough" pain. (And, Yes, the doctor has tried Lyrica-pregabalin and other drugs, but my friend experienced side effects from many of these drugs.)
Premature babies are given tiny doses of Fentanyl for pain while they are in the NICU-Neonatal ICU. Doctors use Fentanyl during procedures and Dentists sometimes give Fentanyl intravenously while removing teeth and inserting dental implants.
ITRR, you are correct that not everything can be filtered out. I only stated what the pharmaceutical company recommended should be done with the used Fentanyl patches. My friend puts her used patches in the garbage bags of used cat litter and disposes the bags in the garbage can.
Sydney, you need to talk to your Hospice nurse and your doctor for more information so that you know why the Fentanyl is being ordered and how to apply and take the patches off properly and safely.
Here are 2 websites that you can go to and read about the fentanyl patch.
https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a601202.html
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/fentanyl-transdermal-route/proper-use/drg-20068152
Wear gloves when you change the patch so that you do not get any of the medication on you if you are putting the patch on someone else. Wash your hands thoroughly after applying the patch and throw the used patch into the TOILET and flush it away. DO NOT put the patch in the garbage can—there will always be medication in the patch and some addicts know how to get the remaining medication out of the patch after it is used. Fentanyl can be deadly to children and pets if they chew on the patch.
The doctor has to write a NEW order each time the medication has to be refilled. It cannot be automatically refilled—check with Hospice regarding how to refill the prescription.
The medication in the patch lasts for 72 hours so the patch needs to be changed every 72 hours. The level of pain relief will be lower at the beginning and ending of the 72 hours and higher at the 30-40 hour period. ⇗ ⇔⇔⇘ The person wearing the patch (?your Mom?) might need Morphine drops occasionally when the fentanyl is at its lowest concentration in the blood.
If a patch falls off or is pulled off, DO NOT put that patch back on. Put a NEW patch on and notify the doctor and Hospice that you had to put a new patch on.
You can use Tegaderm over the patch to keep it in place if the patch has a tendency to fall off. (But do not put the Tegaderm in the toilet as it does not dissolve.) You need to put the patch on a fatty part of the body.
This is some basic information. Talk to the Hospice for more detailed information and have them demonstrate how to use the Fentanyl patch. The medication is very, very strong in very, very small doses so be extremely careful that you store the patches where no one can get them but you and be extremely careful when you put the patch on and take the patch off.
Putting the patches in toilet paper and the bathroom trash is usually sufficient, unless you live with someone that will be looking for a fix.
Basically the important thing you need to know is that you do not touch the surface that goes against the patient's skin. The medication in on this patch and it will give excellent pain relief. It is important that you understand all medications you are given or are being given, both morphine and fentanyl as well as any other. Tell Hospice to give you a briefing on these patches.